Clemson Men’s Basketball Downs Northwestern At Home 57-44

CLEMSON, S.C. — Will Solomon scored 12 points and returned from a bad-looking ankle injury to steady Clemson down the stretch in a 57-44 victory over Northwestern in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Tuesday night.

With the Tigers (3-1) ahead 42-32, Solomon wrenched his left ankle trying to stop a drive to the basket. He rolled in pain on the sidelines and spent the next 9 minutes receiving ice packs and therapy.

But with 5:34 to go – and with the Wildcats (2-2) cutting the Tigers’ lead to 48-43 – Solomon went back in. He hit a basket to make it 50-42 with 4:52 left, then fed Chris Hobbs for a dunk that kept Clemson’s lead at 8 points with 2:53 remaining. On Northwestern’s next possession, Solomon dove to the floor to force a turnover.

A three-point play by Hobbs with 2:07 to go put the game away.

Adam Allenspach had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers.

Northwestern, coached by former Princeton coach Bill Carmody, hadn’t allowed more than 53 points this season. It hoped for the same thing at Littlejohn Coliseum.

But Clemson’s superior depth and size made it a difficult job.

Hobbs, a freshman, scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and had six rebounds. Reserve Dustin Braddick had 7 points and eight rebounds in the first half as Clemson turned a 7-point deficit into a 36-29 lead at the break.

When Tony Stockman, another Clemson freshman, hit a basket in the final minute, it gave him 11 points and was the third time in four games this year the Tigers have four players in double figures.